Protection for golf club heads



March 31', 1936. w. s. BUCKLIN PROTECTION FOR GOLF CLUB HEADS Filed May17, 1935 Patented Mar. 31 i936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlEj 2,035,529 IPROTECTION FOB GOLF CLUB HEADS Walter S. Bucklin, Brookline, Mass.

- Application May 17, 1935, Serial No. 21,954

16 Claims. (o1.'1so-52) This invention relates to improvements inprotection for golf club heads.

More especially it relates to means for protecting the head and adjacentshaft of a wood club against scratches and other defacing marks. Thetop, back, toe and heel of the club head, and the neck where the head isattached to the shaft, are nicely finished'and may be beautifulsurfaces; and there is nothing in the play of the game of golf whichneed mar them; but it is a common experience that they become defaced bythe handling of other clubs into and out of the golf bag in which theyare held. It is the object of the present invention to forestall andprevent such a deterioration in an eifective. manner, withoutintroducing delay or inconvenience for player or caddie.

The prevalence of this evil is so well recognized that devices havealready been proposed for housing the wood clubs individually, either ina separate compartment, or in attached extensions of the golf bag, or inindependent cases applied to the club head and its adjacent shaft. Butall such devices known to me are open to practical objections. -When aseparate compartment is provided, the wood clubs mayv rub against eachother. When a special contrivance is used the operative parts onadjacent clubs sometimes become entangled with each other. Sometimes aparticular kind of manipulation is required, to get such a housing ofithe club head, or to get it on; and a caddie unfamiliar with it hastrouble to master the operation, and may even do damage in his effort.In simpler constructions the housing may become knocked or rubbed offwhen a caddie is drawing an iron from the bag. Or, if thoroughly wrappedand tied, the caddie is unable to produce the wanted club instantly atthe club, that the housing cannot be removed from the clubunintentionally, as by the handling of adjacent clubs.

To this end the invention provides a soft hood or other housing in thenature of an enveloping pad, for encasing the head and so much of theadjacent parts of the shaft as are desired; and provides means for theeasy passing of the mouth of the hood over the club head; andprovidesspring clamping means, the action of which is automatic, both foropening and for closing, for holding the hood in place on the club. Thehousing pad may be of cloth or knitted fabric or other substance. Themouth may be spread permanently open, either to a partial extent orfully, for the easy applying and removing of the device. The head andneck of a wood club constitute an object of peculiar shape, as used inthe game of golf. The head is an unsymmetrical block. It has at one sidea plane face for striking the ball; a deep bulge on the opposite side,behind that face; there is a rather fiat sole; but both sole and tophave a gentle curve toward the toe; and the neck grows out of the heeland top of the club head so that the head stands out from the shaft atan angle of 120, more or less. These peculiarities occasiondifliculties, which it is a purpose of the invention to surmount, in themaking of a device for complete protection coupled with possibility ofeasy and instant removal or replacement. 1

The invention, which may be expressed in several varieties ofembodiments, provides a structural framewhich is adapted to beassociated with those parts .of the club that are to be covered, and tohold the hood there by the action of a spring clamp in the frame whosecontractile seizure is automatic, and which becomes automaticallyreleased for withdrawal from the club by the simple act of a person intaking hold of the device and moving; in the direction which appearsnatural for removing it. A frame, which may be of wire; maintains thehood mouth open to the requisite shape, and maintains the requisiteshape and position of clamp. This m'ay'itself constitute the clamp,--orthe clamp may be a separate attached element. This frame holds the bodyof the hood with'mouth partly opened or fully opened, according to whichis the style of the particular embodiment, so that the open mouth andhood can be thrust along the head of the club to or from the neck'joining the head to the shaft. The neck and the shaft areapproximatelyalike in dimension.. Considering neck as a part of shaft, the clamp canbe so made as to come to rest close to the block which constitutes thehead; or so made as to grip at a place further along the shaft, in orderto cover all that extent of neck which is of wood integral with thehead; or still further along, so as to cover the winding of cord usuallyfound where the neck and shaft are spliced together, in which case theclamp grips the shaft beyond the winding. 5

In either case the surfaces of 'the lips at the entrance to the clampare rounded or sloping, this cgfigtituting cam lips which spread againsttheir taining spring when they are pressed against the thing they areenclosing, or are to enclose. In one instance illustrated this curvatureis the side of a spiral spring, formed as a ring for slipping over theblock-like head of the club; in another, in which the clamp engages theshaft of the club, it is the flare of the lips of the clamp.

For this last form .the invention provides a frame of wire which has abroad loop at the toe of the club, broad enough to enclose the head. Thewires of the loop pass the flat front face and the bulging rear face ofthe block at a suitable distance-for holding the hood open, and theythen reach and continue along the shaft where they are formed into botha clamp and a handle. The handle is for removing or replacing the hood,and for making that clamp disengage or engage the shaft. When the clampis engaged with the shaft, other parts of the frame overlie the headsothat the device cannot be pulled off. But the caddie who is servingthe club has only to take the device by the handle and move in directionto remove the hood from the head. This movement first pulls the clampoif from the shaft and then swings the frame so that it clears the headand has a free path for departure in the natural direction of removingit. In another embodiment the clamp may be applied at that part of theshaft herein called the neck, close to the head; and in that case thehead frame need not extend along the shaft. The clamp then is theleading part of the head frame, and may outline open lips of the mouth,being for example an open circular spiral spring, which mouth, whenbeing applied, stretches with appropriate distortion, to pass the bulgeof the block, and then shrinks toward a closed position in proximitywith the neck. A person applies it by merely pushing it over the head;and its circle spreads again when a person merely pulls it off in thedirection of the axis of the head.

In any of the embodiments suitable cushioning material of fabric orotherwise may protect the wood from the steel or brass of the spring.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression inthe appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty exist inthe invention herein disclosed.

In the accompanying drawing: 7

Figure 1 is a perspective of a golf club equipped with'a protecting hoodembodying featin'es of the invention;

' Figure 2 is a similar view of another embodiment, wherein the hood isof modified form;

Figure 3 is a perspective of another form of protecting hood;

Figure 4 is a perspective of still another modification, and

Figure 5 shows still another form of protecting hood whose mouth isopenable by collapsing the remote body portion of the hood and frame,the hood material being omitted for cleamess.

Referring tothe drawing, the golf club l may be regarded asrepresentative of golf clubs in general, inasmuch as the invention canalso be applied to clubs with metal heads, if desired.

In Figure l the head end of the club is 'encased within a hood which, inthis form, may be in the nature of an open bag l having dimensions tofit easily and loosely over the block In which constitutes the head ofthe club, and more or less to cover the neck l2. This neck I2 isintegral with the head, but it may be herein con-- sidered as a part ofthe shaft, which consists of the neck l2 and the rod ll to which theneck is spliced at a place covered by the winding I. The bag I!constituting the hood may be mounted on a suitable wire frame whichprovides a sufficiently stiff rim I! at the open mouth l8 of the hood,and this frame has a portion 20 extending along the shaft to constituteboth a handle 22 and a spring clamp for detachably securing the frame inthis position on the club.

For convenience and economy, the frame may be a bent wire structureformed with the loop I! within a hem of the hood to constitute-the saidmouth of the hood. As represented in Figure 1, the walls'of the hood arenot framed beyond the rim at II, but in the direction of the shaft theymay extend so as to overlie the neck and winding l2, it. However, and ifdesired, suitable extensions of the frame might be arranged for givingshape to the fabric walls, in either direction from the rim I1, and forreinforcing them, or for holding wadding wherever desired. Also, ifdesired, hood material may be available as at 23, in Figure 1, for beingbrought around under the neck l2 and winding l6 for covering suchsurfaces thereof as might otherwise be exposed and unprotected, and mayhave a snap fastening 25 if desired.

The frame may be made of a single piece of wire, bent into the rim I! atthe heel of the club (Fig. 1) or bent into the hook loop 26 to engagethe toe of the club (Fig. 2); and may be twisted as at the portion 20 atthe neck, for stiflness. Side bars of the frame may overlie the face andback sides of the block. as illustrated in Figure 2; or might pass belowand outside of them; or be beyond them as in Figure l. The hood may beof any suitable material, and may have a hem or surface straps to coverthe wire or to intervene between the wire and the surface which is to beprotected. The handle 22 may be of any shape which is convenient for aperson to grasp; and the spring jaws as at 24 may be beyond the handle22, as illustrated, or may be located in position for eng ng elsewherearoundthe shaft of the club to hold the frame and hood securely inplace. Preferably the frame, at places of contact with the shaft, willbe covered with a cushioning material, which may be rubber tubing, orcotton and wax-like insulation 28, which will prevent "scratching orother marring of the shaft.

It will be obvious that the frame may take vari'ous forms, as also maythe securing means 24, the primary idea of which is that it shall beadapted to become engaged with and disengaged from the shaft by somesimple means. as by'being pressed toward its seat, or pulled from it.

Figure 2 shows a formof protecting hood in corresponding to the bag l5but with that part of the frame which surrounds the block located 'atthe toe rather than at the heel, and leaving the heel and sole of theclub head not covered. This does no harm since these portions aresubject to abrasion in play. The club is pictured withv sole upward, andthe frame loop is bent into a toe-engaging hook 26; and its side members34, 36 extend, one along each side of the head, on modified coursesalong the splice winding it, as at 38, beyond the neck. The hoodmaterial 30, of Figure 2, carries the frame in a hem, for protection ofthe wood; and extends loosely over the polished portions of the headfrom side member to side memberof the frame.

The hood material extends also over the splice I the spring-engagingends of the plurality of winding l6, having wings between which thespliced and neck regions of the club may fitJ Beyond, the frame isformed with the handle 22 and has clamping means 24.

The hoods of 'Figures 1 and 2 illustrate two extremes as regards thedegree of protecting covering provided for the club head, the one.covering all of the headforward of the heel and having its open mouth inthe region of the heel, and the other covering the toe and upperportions of the head, leaving portions, including the i playing face,uncovered. But obviously the hood their ends respectively approachingeach other at the open end of the U, and thence flare outward as at 42to provide for easy and non-abrasive entrance of a club head between therespective U-arms. The plurality of U-springs may be secured together atthe crossing U-bridges as at 43. The ends of the U-springs, at theregions 42, may have curved fingers extending laterally for standingaround opposite sides of the shaft at that location. If the springstrips 40 are within the hood they may be suitably covered forprotection of the wood, the hood being loose enough and large enough topermit the needed spreading of the spring arms as the hood isbeingthrust over the bulge of the block.

In Figure 4 a fabric of springs is represented at 44 in the shape of abag for fitting over the head of a club. The spring fabric provides forneeded expansion and contraction of hood, and the wood of the club maybe protected from abrasion by a lining of suitable soft padding materialwhich may project beyond the mouth of the spring bag 44 as at 46, forshielding the winding of the club. Preferably, a single coil spring 24'will encircle the mouth of the spring bag to ensure that the mouth willcontract around the neck of the club following the passage of the headtherethrough. The spring mesh 44 is represented in a conventional manneras having members expansible in direction around the bag, and othermembers expansible in direction along the bag. And these members may beinter-engaged coil springs of suitable size and degree of tension.

Figure 5 shows a hood and frame wherein the frame is operable to openthe mouth of the hood by a squeezing of the frame and hood at a locationremote from the mouth. For clearness the cloth bag, which ordinarilywould constitute a lining for this frame, is omitted, and the frame isshown in full line position closed over the head of a club and, indotted position, with its mouth spread open as a result of squeezing theremote body of the frame. 'A stiff ring of metal 46 vis of diameter tofit loosely over the club head block, and it constitutes a support forpivotal mounting of a plurality of levers 48 which are spaced atintervals around ring 46. As represented, there are four levers 48, eachin the form of a stiff wire, and each pivotally' mounted, at amid-location along it, to the ring 46, by means of a mere looping of itaround the ring as at 50. A coil spring 52 defines the mouth of the hoodframe, and each lever 48 has an end engaging the coil spring, so that aspreading of levers expands the spring to permit the head of a club topass into the hood or to be withdrawn therefrom.

As in the other cases, a pulling or pushing of the mouth against theblock will spread the cam lips open, to remove or replace the hood.

Each lever48, beyond its pivot 50, has extent as at 54 sufliclent toclear the toe portion of an enclosed head, andeach provides necessaryclearance between its extension 54 and the head so that the extensions54 as a group may be pressed toward the head for expanding the spring 52at the mouth. And-the extensions 54, beyond the toe of-the head, turnsharply toward the axis, and have their ends tied together by a slipelement 56 through which all of the lever ends are slidable relative toeach other. In the drawing, the lever arms or extensions 54 are showndotted in their pressed-in position, with the mouth dotted open. Thespring 52-draws the levers back to the normal full line positions assoon as the pressure at'54 is removed.

Conveniently a hook 58 may be provided on the frame of Figure 5, forhanging the hood on the golf club bag while the particular club whichwas protected by the hood is in use.

Also, each of the other forms of the invention may embody such a hookfor convenient temporary association of the hood with the club bagduring times when the hood may be temporarily out of service. In Figure1 such a hook is represented at 60, as a projection of the frame at themouth of the hood.

Figure 2 shows a hook 62 formed as an incident of thetoe-engaging partof the hood. And Figures 3 and 4 have the hooks 64, 66 respectively,each in position to be unobtrusively out of the way when the hood is inuse on a club, yet conveniently ready for being engaged over the rim ofa bag when the hood is detached from its club. The wires may be ofnon-corrosive metal; if covered the covering may be a wrapping of thewire, as of cotton and wax, or may be a hem or strap pocket in thefabric. The soft cloth fabric'protectingthe wood. may be within theframe; or outside of it; or in some cases omitted. If omitted the wiresthemselves will usually be covered or else be so smooth as not to marthe finished wood surfaces; and the wires will, in such cases, be closeenough together to constitute a cage affording the needed protection, asby having more levers in the style of Figure 5; or by the continuousmesh of Figure 4.

I claim as my invention:

1. A protecting device for the head portion of a golf club, comprising ahood for the club's head; a frame, at and maintaining an opening at themouth of the hood; and a spring clamp in the frame, having cam lips forthe springing of the clamp past a part of the club to grip the club forholding the hood in place.

2. A protecting device for the head portion of a golf club, comprising ahood for the club's head; a frame, at and maintaining an opening at themouth of the hood; and a spring clamp in the frame, adapted to enclosethe shaft of the club thereby to grasp theclub; said clamp havingsloping lips whereby pressure of those lips against the part enclosed bysaid lips expands the clamp, for the passing of the clamp to or fromgripping position.

3. A protecting device for the head portion of a golf club, comprising ahood for the club's head; a frame, at and maintaining an opening at themouth of the hood; and a spring clamp in the frame, adapted to enclosethe shaft of the club thereby to grasp the club; said clamp havingsloping lips whereby pressure of those lips against the part enclosed bysaid lips expands the clamp, for the passing of the clamp to or fromgripping position; there being a part of the 7 frame extending along theclub shaft and holding said spring clamp.

4. A protecting device for the head portion of a golf club, comprising ahood for the club's head; a frame, at and maintaining an opening at themouth of the hood; and a spring clamp in the frame, adapted to enclosethe shaft of the club thereby to grasp the club; said clamp havingsloping lips whereby pressure of those lips against the part enclosed bysaid lips expands the clamp, for the passing of the clamp to or fromgripping position; there being apart of the frame extending along theclub shaft, holding said spring clamp and constituting a handle forapplying and removing the clamp and hood.

5. A protecting device for the head portion of a golf club, ,comprisinga hood for the club's head; a frame, at and maintaining an opening atthe mouth of the hood; and a spring clamp in the frame, having cam lipsfor the springing of the clamp past a part of the club to grip the clubfor holding the hood in place; the said frame which maintains the hoodopening being adjacent to the heel of the club, when in position on theclub.

6. A protecting device for the head portion of a golf club, comprising ahood for the club's head; a frame, at and maintaining an opening at themouth of the hood; and a spring clamp in the frame, having cam lips forthe springing of the clamp past a part of the club to grip the club forholding the hood in place; the said frame which maintains the hoodopening being adjacent to the heel of the club, when in position on theclub, and being the said spring clamp.

'7. A protecting device for the head portion of a golf club, comprisinga hood for the club's head; a frame, at and maintaining an opening atthe mouth of the hood; and a spring clamp in ihe frame, having cam lipsfor the springing of the clamp past a part of the club to grip the clubfor holding the hood in place; the said frame which maintains the hoodopening being adjacent to the heel of the club, when in position on theclub, and being a helical wire spring arranged as a ring for passingover the head of the club.

8. A protecting'device for the head portion of a golf club, comprising ahood for the club's head; a frame, at and maintaining an opening at themouth of the hood; and a spring clamp in the frame, having cam lips forthe springing of the clamp past a part of the club to grip the club forholding the hood in place; the. said frame which maintains the hoodopening being adjacent to the heel of the club, when in position on theclub, and being the said spring clamp; there being spring arms of theframe extending thence to the toe of the club.

9. A protecting device for the head portion of a golf club, comprising ahood for the club's head; a frame, at and maintaining an opening at themouth of the hood; and a spring clamp in the frame, having cam lips forthe springing of the clamp past a part of the club to grip the club forholding the hood in place; the said frame being an element having ribsaround the club J head.

10. A protecting device for the head portion of a golf club, comprisinga hood for the club's head;

a frame, at and maintaining an opening at the mouth of the hood; and aspring clamp in the frame, having cam lips for the springing of theclamp past a part of the club to grip the club for holding the hood inplace; the said frame being an element having spiral spring ribs aroundthe club.

11. A protecting device for the head portion of a golf club, comprisinga hood for the club's head; a frame, at and maintaining an opening atthe mouth of the hood; and a spring clamp in the frame, having cam lipsfor the springing of the clamp past a part of the club to grip the clubfor holding the hood in place; the said frame having an elementextending across the sole of the club head at its toe.

12. A protecting device for the head portion of a golf club, comprisinga hood for the club's head; a frame, at and maintaining an opening atthe mouth of the hood; and a spring clamp in the frame, having cam lipsfor the springing of the clamp past a part of the club to grip the clubfor holding the hood in place; the said frame having elements extendingalong the front and back faces of the club head, and an elementextending across the sole thereof at its toe.

13. A protecting device for the head portion of a golf club, comprisingthe combination of a hood with a frame therefor having means framing themouth of the hood, a spring clamp for holding the frame on the club, anda hook rigid with the frame for hanging the frame on a club bag whenremoved from the club.

14. A protecting device for the head portion of a golf club, comprisinga hood having a frame of intermeshed spring metal coils formed in bagshape; said spring coils permitting expansion of the bag for receiving aclub head, and having at the mouth of the bag an elastic rim spreadableby thrust against a club head; thereby to pass said head into or out ofthe bag.

15. A protecting device for the head portion of a golf club, comprisinga hood, a frame for the hood having a plurality of levers extendingendwise of the hood, with a fulcrum-ring at a midlocation; and anannular coil spring at the mouth .of the hood; said spring being engagedby arms of said levers at spaced points around it; and the other arms ofthe levers being at the other end of the hood, and being there arrangedfor a person to squeeze them toward the axis, for opening the mouth ofthe hood.

16. A protecting device for the head portion of a golf club, comprisinga hood of flexible material including a mesh having elastic elementsextending through the body of the hood, and having at the mouth of thehood an annular elastic rim having a normal relaxed position in which itholds the mouth partly open, to an extent from which it is spreadable bythrust against a club head, thereby to pass said head into or out of thehood.

WALTER S. BUCKLIN.

